MERIDIAN – Northwest sophomore barrel racer
Caroline Crawford posted a sixth place result in last weekend's West Alabama Rodeo, the second Ozark Region event of the 2020-21 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association season.
A native of Lambert, Crawford's individual finish brought 30 team points and a ninth place overall result to the Northwest women's rodeo team. The men's team did not place.
Crawford's first round competition on Friday morning resulted in a time of 14.66, advancing her to the championship round on Saturday night. Her run was marred by her horse taking the third and final barrel too wide, giving her a 15.14 second round score and an average of 29.8 points.
Other Northwest competitors in the barrel racing events included sophomore
Cody Dowell and the freshman duo of
Anna Clair Johnston and
Mary Gracin Johnston. Dowell's first round time was 15.68, while
Anna Clair Johnston's initial time of 15.90 was increased to 20.90, due to a five second penalty for a hit barrel.
Mary Gracin Johnston was also hit with a penalty for a toppled barrel that resulted in a 21.88 time, with all three competitors failing to qualify for the finals.
Dowell,
Logan Tomlinson and
Gracen McClain also competed in breakaway roping but wayward calves caused all three to be eliminated.
On the men's side, the twin tandem of Brandon and
Brennan Tomlinson were hoping to replicate the previous week's success in team roping, but neither placed due to an illegal head catch on their steer.
Sophomore
Cade Cowan and his team roping partner Kolby Krieger (Three Rivers College) roped their steer in 8.8 seconds but due to a five second penalty, the duo's time ended at 13.8 seconds, resulting in both competitors to miss out on qualifying for the finals.
"We have a couple weeks off until our next rodeo and we have to practice hard to work out our kinks," Northwest rodeo coach
Shelli Benton said. "We have fallen victim to some kinks that have been getting us out of placing better. In bull riding, we also have been showing some habits that we need to work on correcting, as no rider covered their bull this past weekend."
Currently, the Ranger men are ninth in the updated Ozark Region standings with 160 points, while the women are 11th overall. Northwest will compete again at Three Rivers College in Sikeston, Mo. from Oct. 15-17.
